Prohibition of over 221kw mobile gear vessels within 3 miles of Jersey.

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A decision made (27.03.06) to prohibit 221kw mobile gear vessels within the Jersey 3 mile limit.

Subject:	Prohibition of over 221kw mobile gear vessels within 3 miles of Jersey
Decision Reference:	MD-PE-2006-0029		Exempt clause(s):	n/a
Type of Report: (oral or written)	Written		Person Giving Report (if oral):	n/a
Telephone or e-mail Meeting?	n/a		Report File ref:	L:\Environment Department\15 Ministerial Decisions\02 2006\02 Reports & attachments
Written report – Title	Prohibition of over 221kw mobile gear vessels within 3 miles of Jersey
Written report – Author (name and job title)	Dr Simon Bossy – Head of Fisheries and Marine Resources
Decision(s): To prohibit over 221kw mobile gear vessels within the Jersey 3 mile limit as defined in the Granville Bay Treaty; i.e. it is drawn from the Low Water mark of the Island east of the 2oW line and from 3 mile Low Tide elevations west of the 2oW line excluding the Paternosters and Les Dirouilles as base points.
Reason(s) for decision: To keep large, more powerful vessels further offshore to allow smaller vessels more freedom in the zone, thus causing less damage to the seabed.
Action required: The Senior Fisheries Inspector will draft a licence condition for fishing boat licences to cover this prohibition.
Signature: (Minister)		Date of Decision:

Prohibition of over 221kw mobile gear vessels within 3 miles of Jersey.

PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT

Environment Division

PROHIBITION OF OVER 221kw MOBILE GEAR

VESSELS WITHIN 3 MILES OF JERSEY

A item

Purpose of the Report

To promote a diverse and adaptable fishing industry with sustainable management and prudent use of marine resources.

Background

Fishing may be divided into two main gear types, mobile and static gear. Static gear is set from a boat, left for a period of time and then lifted from the same place. Mobile gear, however, remains attached to the vessels and it is towed over the sea bed or through the water to actively catch the species targeted. Examples of mobile gear include scallop dredging, trawling and pair trawling. Most of this type of fishing involves dragging heavy equipment over the sea bed and often substantial damage will occur in the localised area where the gear has passed. Smaller and less powerful vessels tend to have lighter gear and do less damage.

Discussion

Due to damage to inshore areas, which because they are shallower tend to be more productive particularly for juvenile fish, it is useful to minimise this damage by limiting the power of mobile gear vessels allowed to fish close to shore. This has the added advantage of leaving a productive fishery close to shore to be exploited by smaller (and slower) vessels which would find it both inefficient and, in some cases, dangerous to fish further offshore.

Recommendation

That mobile gear vessels that have an engine power greater than 221kw are prohibited from fishing within the 3 mile limit of Jersey by licence condition.

Note

(i) The 3 mile limit should be defined as in the Granville Bay Treaty; i.e. it is drawn from the Low Water mark of the Island east of the 2oW line and from 3 mile Low Tide elevations east of the 2oW line excluding the Paternosters and Les Dirouilles as base points.

(ii) As two Jersey vessels that are over the 221kw level have been recorded using mobile gear within the limit described above it is proposed that they are given “sunset” clauses to the licence to enable them to continue to fish with those vessels until 1 January 2009. Should that vessel be sold before that date, any new vessel would have to comply with the inshore power limitation.

Written by:	Dr Simon F Bossy – Head of Fisheries and Marine Resources

Approved by:	Chris Newton, Director of Environment Department

Endorsed by:	Senior Management Team

[13.03.06]

File ref: 6.6.3

Ministerial Decision Case Ref: